Mechanical oscillators are an essential component of practically every electronic system that requires a frequency reference for time keeping or synchronization, and oscillators are also widely used in frequency-shift based sensors of mass, force, and magnetic field. Currently, micro- and nano-mechanical (collectively referred to as “micromechanical” herein) oscillators are being developed as an alternative to conventional oscillators, e.g. quartz oscillators, supported by their intrinsic compatibility with standard semiconductor processing and by their unprecedented sensitivity and time response as miniaturized sensing devices.
Devices that use the micromechanical oscillators in a limited or no power environment require the use of alternative sources of power to run, for example an external portable power generation or batteries. In some applications this is infeasible due to the limited space and carrying capacity of the situations. Consequently, when the power is deprived on these devices, the amplitude of the oscillation decreases, the frequency of the oscillation changes, or both occur. This is impractical and unworkable when using micromechanical oscillators in a power deprived environment.